Ballinamore is ideally located as a touring base for a range of interesting outings in an area steeped in history, natural beauty and culture.
Please check out the pages for some of the many places to visit near Ballinamore.
Sean Mac Diarmada Homestead
The Heritage Centre houses an exhibition about 1916 Proclamation signatory Sean McDermott or Seán MacDiarmada as he was later known. The exhibition contains an audiovisual facility and interpretive panels, providing visitors with information on his life, as well as the history of the locality. The family cottage where MacDiarmada was born and raised is in Corranmore a few kilometres outside the village. This is maintained in its original condition as a National Monument by the OPW and may be visited by prior arrangement. Admission is free.
Call on 071 9854865 and arrange your visit.
Parke's Castle
The Courtyard grounds contain evidence of an earlier 16th century Tower House structure once owned by Sir Brian O'Rourke who subsequently was executed at Tyburn, London in 1591. The Castle has been restored using Irish oak and traditional craftsmenship. Access for visitors with disabilities to ground floor.
Call (071) 916 4149 Email: parkescastle@opw.ie
Costello Memorial Chapel
The chapel, a single room building is tiny, measuring circa 4.8m x 3.6m. The chapel, built on the site of a former Methodist chapel, was commissioned in 1877 by a Carrick-on Shannon merchant called Edward Costello as a memorial to his wife Mary Josephine. The building was completed in 1879.
If you are passing through Carrick-on-Shannon do seek it out and see for yourself.
Glenview Folk Museum
The Glenview Folk Museum is located just outside Ballinamore in Co. Leitrim and is owned and ran by the Kennedy Family. Open Easter to October, Monday- Saturday 10am-6pm , Sunday 2- 6 pm . Other times by Appointment
Call: (071) 964 4157 Email: glenviewmuseum@gmail.com Website: http://www.glenviewmuseum.ie
Birthplace of Margaret of New Orleans
Margaret Haughrey of New Orleans birthplace is at Tully, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim in Ireland.
Website: http://margaretsbirthplace.com/Margaret.html
St George's Heritage & Visitor Centre
St George's Church, originally built in 1827, was fully restored and extended to include a visitor centre in 2006. Guided tours are available.
Call: +353 71 962 1757 Website: www.carrickheritage.com
Manorhamilton Castle
Manorhamilton castle is part of the O'Rourke kingdom.
Call: 086 2502593 Email: manorhamiltoncastle@gmail.com
The Dock & Leitrim Design House
Housed in a 19th century former courthouse building. The Dock is the home to an intimate theatre space with regular performances of music, theatre, comedy and more. The Leitrim Design House also on this site is one of the leading design outlets in the country and offers its visitors the very best in design, contemporary craft and visual art.
Call: The Dock 071 9650828 or Leitrim Design House 071 9650550
The Rainbow Ballroom of Romance
Irelands famous Rainbow Ballroom of Romance is situated in Glenfarne, Co. Leitrim at a crossroads in the townland of Brockagh, along the N16 Enniskillen to Sligo road. The Ballroom has recently been refurbished to a high standard and features " The Ballroom Experience" which is a pre bookable Tea Dance event and a Museum of Showband Memorabilia.
Call: 071 985 6831 Website: www.rainbowballroomofromance.com
The Organic Centre
Located in North Leitrim just 8 miles from Manorhamilton, the Organic Centre has learning gardens, polytunnels, an orchard and a willow sculpture area. A recognised eco - tourism destination it offers guided tours and over 100 course in gardening, healthy cooking and traditional crafts. It has a picnic area and a play area for children.
Call: 071 985 4338 Website: www.theorganiccentre.ie
Sheemore Hill
Sheemore and Sheebeg in South Leitrim are hills steeped in mythology. Sheemore known as the hill of the fairies is speckled with fairy trees and tombs on the ascent. It has inspired musicians and artists including the composer O Corolan who penned a tune later to be made famous by Planxty. Sheemore is the larger mound and still the best formed. There are said to be three cairns on the summit.
Fenagh Abbey
Fenagh Village is a small rural village in the south of Leitrim, which is rich in heritage. It has two Abbeys built in the 5th and 6th centuries and a number of standing stones, a giant’s grave, fairy fort and dolmen. Information on the history of Fenagh can be found in Fenagh Visitor Centre, restored and run by the local community.
Sliabh An Iarainn Visitors Centre
This centre is located on Acres Lake, Drumshanbo, provides audio visual display and interactive infromation on the Sliiabh an Iarainn, Arigna and North Leitrim area.
Call 071 964 1851
Glencar Waterfall
Glencar Waterfall is located close to Glencar lake 11km west of Manorhamilton. There is a number of waterfalls visible from the road but Glencar Waterfall which inspired WB Yeats in ' The Stolen Child' is well worth a visit.
Poll An Eas Waterfall
Pol an Eas means waterfall bath or bathing place as gealige. Locally the old saw that the waters could “pull an ass” which is pure leitrim vernacular. The two waterfalls are seperated by a water pool where locals swim when the weather gets warm.
Cavan-Leitrim Railway Museum
www.cavanandleitrim.com
Offers tourists and enthusiasts a variety of narrow gauge trains, buses, planes, fire engines and artillery.
Jimmy's Hall Memorial Site
A monument to the memory of the Leitrim Socialist, Jimmy Gralton, on the site of Gralton’s “Pearse Connolly Hall” at Effrinagh, Co. Leitrim. It was unveiled on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 by President Michael D Higgins. Jimmy Gralton was deported from Leitrim without trial in 1933. His crime was only to have set up a public hall in County Leitrim, a venue for education, community events and musical both traditional and featuring the jazz that Gralton had brought back from America. Gralton, a socialist, aroused fears and intolerance. Jimmy Graltons life inspired a recent film by Ken Loach named “Jimmy’s Hall”.
Devils Chimney Waterfall
Devils Chimney Waterfall –Struth in Aghanidh An aird: Sligo/Leitrim border
The waterfall ‘Sruth in Aghaidh An Aird’ lies on the Sligo/Leitrim border in the Glencar valley, only stones throw from its more famous neighbor Glencar waterfall. At 492 feet (150m) Sruth in Aghaidh An Aird (also known as the Devils Chimney) is listed on the World Waterfall database as Ireland’s Tallest Waterfall. Its name means stream against the height and reflects the observed phenomena that during certain weather conditions (when the wind blows from the South) the waterfall is blown upward and back over the cliff from which it falls. Due to this its become known as the devils chimney.
Fowley's Falls
Reputedly named after a one-time local landowner in the Rossinver area, Fowley’s Falls must be one of the best kept secrets of North Leitrim. Unlike the more popular Glencar waterfall, also in North Leitrim, Fowley Falls is not a single-drop waterfall.
Instead it cascades in a series of drops over the exposed bedrock to form a spectacular torrent of water rushing through the steep valley towards Lough Melvin.
The Shannon Pot
The shannon Pot is the recognized source of the river Shannon. From this humble beginning the river grows in size to become the largest river in Ireland, flowing from Cavan down the country until it reaches the sea at Limerick.
O’Rourke’s Table
O’Rourke’s Table is a mountain located on the outskirts of Dromahair, North Leitrim. Walkers who make the effort to climb up O’Rourke’s Table, helped by several hundred steps cut into the side on the ridge are rewarded by amazing views of Lough Gill, Parkes Castle and Sligo Bay. For those eagle eyed visitors keep an eye out for ‘the sleeping warrior’ a rock formation that looks like a mythical figure from folklore, snoozing on the ridges of Keelogyboy, Leean and Benbo. But be careful in case you just might wake him!
Enniskillen Castle
www.enniskillencastle.co.uk
This historic site houses two museums, Fermanagh County Museum and The Inniskillings Museum.
Florence Court House
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
There is something for all the family at this warm and welcoming 18th-century property – one of the most important houses in the north-west.
Tullyboy Farm
www.tullyboyfarm.com
This 90 acre farm set around a beautifully restored 18th century farmhouse. Take a tractor trailer ride around the farm. Stop to pet all the animals or bottle or hand feed them… even cuddle the cute ones. Coffee and gift shop on premises.
King House
www.kinghouse.ie
Magnificently restored Georgian townhouse containing a range of exhibitions on the areas heritage and culture.
Boyle Abbey
Regarded as the finest of the Cistercian churches to survive in Ireland.
Ulster American Folk Park
www.nmni.com/uafp
Immerse yourself in the world famous story of Irish emigration at the museum that brings it to life.
Sligo Abbey
Sligo Abbey is a significant little history stop, solely educational with no kids features added.
Known locally as the Abbey, this Dominican Friary was founded in the mid 13th century. The site contains a great wealth of carvings including Gothic and Renaissance tomb sculpture, well preserved cloister and the only sculptured 15th century high altar to survive in any Irish monastic church.
The Inniskillings Museum
The Inniskillings Museum is one of the 2 museums at Enniskillen Castle, and will tell you the story of the 2 regiments from the town of Enniskillen. The museum is located in the Castle Keep and the old cavalry stables.
The castle itself, once a medieval stronghold, is fantastic and has an array of 18th and 19th century barrack buildings for the kids to explore. It also has a 17th century Watergate with distinctive twin turrets, and the Heritage Centre of the Fermanagh County Museum to the east.
Castle Archdale Country Park Enniskillen
Castle Archdale Country Park offers an abundance of nature, hiking and biking trails suited in variety to all levels of fitness.
There are apparently a wildflower garden, butterfly garden and local deer around.
